Apparatus for making chains of molten metal.



No. 684386. Patented ont. s, 190|.'

E. o. VuEmaFELnT.V

APPARATUS FUR MAKING CHAINS 0F HULTEN METAL;

' (Application med Jan. 28,1900.)

(No Model.)

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A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST O. BUEDEFELDT, OF MUN OIE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO THOMAS W. STARR, OF SAME PLACE, AND ARTHUR KRUEGER, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CHAINS OF `MOLTEN METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,186, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed January 23, 1900. Serial No. 2,446. (No model.)

To cI/ZZ whom, t nur/g concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST O. BUEDEEELDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muncie,'in the county of Delaware and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Making Chains of Molten Metal,of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide improved means for molding chains.

My invention consists in an apparatus composed of a two-part flask, of a plate having patterns of horizontal links rigidly mounted thereon, and patterns for vertical links pivotally mounted thereon and arranged to be withdrawn therefrom without disturbing the sand form ed on the plate, together with means for leading the molten metal to the mold formed by the pivoted patterns.

My invention consists, further,in the plate having alternate links horizontally disposed thereon and rigidly connected thereto and intervening links hinged or pivoted to the plate, overlapping and embracing the xed links and arranged to be Withdrawn in a circular path through said plate.

My invention consists, further, in the provision of means for connecting the movable patterns in such manner that they may be Withdrawn simultaneously through the plate.

My invention consists, further, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan of the plate of patterns employed to mold chains and shows the positions of the link-patterns relative to each other and the runners and leader. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View on the dotted line in Fig. 1 and shows how the linkp patterns in vertical position are pivotally connected with the plate and with a rod for the purpose of simultaneously withdrawing them from the sand. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a mold produced by means of my invention.

In the construction of the apparatus as shown the numeral 10 designates a plate, on which are mounted at regular intervals of separation a plurality of halves of links 11 to form the patterns for molding halves of the horizontal links of a chain. These halves 11 of the links are oval or elliptical in form and vare spaced apart slightly. The halves 11 of the links are arranged in a row end to end at one side of the center of the plate 10, and a row of similar patterns l2 is arranged on the opposite side of the center of said plate. A leader 13 is formed on the plate 10 midway between the rows of patterns 1l 12, and runners 14 lead from said leader to the patterns of the horizont-al links. The plate 10 is formed with a plurality of apertures formed on an arc Within the patterns 11 12 of the halves of horizontal links, and guide brackets or ears 15 are fixed to and extend downwardly from said plate adjacent to said apertures. The brackets orV ears 15 are bifuroated, and arms 16 are pivoted by one each of their ends in and to said brackets or ears by means of pivots a. Patterns 17, of the size and shape ot` halves Nof the Vertical links of the chain to be cast, but of greater length than one-'half the length of one of said links, are mounted on the outer ends of the arms 16 and extend through the apertures of the plate. Each of the patterns 17 is onehalf of a circle and the radius of the circle Within which it moves is the length of the arm 1o carrying said pattern, the center of the circle being the axis of oscillation of the arm. The several arms 16, carrying the patterns 17, traversing the patterns 11, are connected by a rod 18, and the arms carrying the patterns traversing the patterns 12 are designed to be connected in the same Way. The movable patterns are held in their desired positions by the connecting-rods 1S, retaining the arms 16 stationary. By these means a plate ot' patterns is constructed that may be employed as a form in a iiask of any desired character and be molded in sand-that is to say, molders sand may be rammed and tamped upon said plate over, Within, and around the patterns 11 12 and the leader 13 and runners 14 and under, around, and over the movable patterns 17. Vhen the sand has been tamped and ram med and pounded to a sufficient degree to set the same properly, the movable patterns 17 of the plate are removed by oscillating the arms 16 through the medium of the rods connecting said arms, thus withdrawing said movable patterns on the are of the circle through the plate 10 and leaving the form and configuration thereof molded in the sand as an arch from the plate over adjacent ends of the horizontal links to the plate again. In molding or tamping the sand on the plate of patterns a plurality of horngates 2O are positioned with their larger lower ends in contact with the leader-pattern 13 and their smaller upper ends in contact with the center portions of the movable patterns 17. The horngates 2O taper slightly from end to end. In molding or tamping the sand about the plate of patterns a sprue 21 is formed in and leads vertically from the center portion of the leader 13. Upon removing the movable patterns 17 the plate may be lifted or drawn from the sand and then the horngates 20 should be Withdrawn by movement in a curved path, the removal of the horngates leaving passage-ways for the flow of the metal from the leader 13 to the forms made by the movable patterns 17 in the sand. Thus is formed one-half of a mold or flask within which to cast two sections of chains, each section composed of several interlooping links. The opposite half of the fiask or mold is formed by tamping, ramming, and molding the sand upon the plate without the use of horngates or sprueplug, and when the halves of the mold are combined and connected the metal may be poured therein through the sprue and will till and occupy the forms produced in the sand by the patterns, as described. Upon opening the flask after pouring there will be found two sections ot chains, each composed of several interlooping endless links of oval or elliptical form such as is common and well known. I now mold other sections of the chains, and upon associating the halves ofthe flask I introduce the terminal links at one end at each of sections of chains previously cast into terminal horizontal molds just formed and pour the metal as before, thus adding to or building up the sections of chains iirst made indefinitely and .to any desired extent. The patterns -17 would mold circular links Were it not for the fact that a portion of each of said patterns is contained within its aperture of the plate l0, and the thickness of the plate 10 deducted from the length of said pattern leaves the length of one-half of an oval link to be formed in the sand.

It is obvious the movable link-patterns cannot be used simultaneously in the upper and lower and separable parts of the iiask and that the saine patterns and means of placing and using them must be used successivelyin the parts of the lia-sk and the two flasks then placed together, as shown in Fig. 3, in order to accomplish the results contemplated.

I claim as my inventionl. In a machine for making molds for chains, the combination with a plate, of a row of horizon tal link-patterns on the plate having their adjacent ends spaced apart, a series of movable vertical link-patterns, and means for moving the vertical link-patterns up through the horizontal link-patterns and the end of the vertical link-patterns into the adjacent horizontal link-patterns.

2. In a machine for making molds for chains, the combination with a plate, of a row of horizontal link-patterns on the plate having their adjacent ends spaced apart, a series of movable vertical linkpatterns semicircular in form hinged beneath the plate and means for moving the vertical link-patterns up through the horizontal link-patterns and the end Vof the vertical link-patterns into the adjacent horizontal link-patterns.

3. In a machine for making molds for chains, Y

the combination with a plate, of a rowr of horizontal link-patterns on the plate having their adjacent ends spaced apart, a series of transverse shafts journaled beneath the plate, a vertical link-pattern secured to each shaft, and mechanism for rotating the shafts simultaneously and moving the vertical link-patterns into position to form the molds.

4. In a machine for making molds for chains,

the combination Witha plate, of a row of hori- Y f Y l n zontal'link-patterns on the plate having their Y adjacent ends spaced apart, a series of transverse shafts journaled beneath the plate, aV vertical link-pattern secured to each shaft,V

the vertical link-pattern being semicircular in form and with its end normally below the plate and mechanism for rotating the shafts a sufficient distance to raise the vertical linkpatterns so that they will partly protrude through the plate.

5. In an apparatus for molding chains, a

iiatplate having patterns of links iixed thereon at regular spaces apart, holes through the plate within said fixed patterns and mating Ioo Y patterns having fixed arms pivotally connected with the under side of the plate and by means of the fixed arms adapted to be moved in and out through the holes in the plate and through the iixed patterns on the plate, ar-

ranged and` combined to operate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

6. In an apparatus for molding chains, a plate having a plurality of liXed link-patterns on its top, tixed ears on its under side, holes through the pla-te within said fixed patterns, movable link-patterns having fixed arms and the ends of the arms pivotally connected with said fixed ears, arranged and combined to op-Y erate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated. Y

7. An apparatus for molding chainsV comprising a flask, a plate having a plurality of link-patterns iixed on its top at regular spaces apart, a hole through the plate within each fixed link-pattern, projections on the under side of the plate, movable link-patterns having fixed arms and the ends of the arms pivoted to said projections and a rod pivotally connected with each movable link-pattern,

all arranged and combined to operate in the Y manner set forth, for the purposes stated.

ERNEST O. BUEDEFELDT.

v lVitnesses:

JNO. CLAPTON, O. E. GooDNIeHr.

90V ff litsf'Y x 

